Jargon Watch
Bottom-lining Selecting affluent communities for trial and early deployment of new, interactive services.
Bozon A unit of stupidity. "Is it just me, or is there always a high bozon count in Rupert's posts?"
Docubug A mistake in computer documentation. Used in the technical writing department (the "DocuZoo") at Sun Microsystems.
Furverts The denizens of FurryMUCK and alt.fan.furry, or other people who enjoy emulating anthropomorphs (humanoid animals). Not to be confused with the people who post on alt.sex.bestiality.
Plug Term for either a temp worker, or a new addition to a work staff, who covers work overflow. "He's a plug for Jean until she gets back in June."
ROM brain Someone who spews forth ideas and opinions but can't seem to accept any input from the outside world.
Rumorazzi Writers of various back-page "industry insider" columns in computer trade journals. Dedicated to collecting and reporting (and sometimes debunking) various rumors and secrets within the industry. "Be careful at Comdex; you never know where the rumorazzi may be lurking."
SITCOMs (Single Income, Two Children, Oppressive Mortgage) What yuppies turn into when they have children and one stops working to be with the kids. The true martyrs of Reaganomics, as characterized in The Economist.
Thanks and a tip of the Wired propeller beanie to: Jim Crawley, Ruth Anne Bevier, Dan "Sleepy" Sears, Kit Ranshoff, Croyd@aol.com, Bruce Oberg, arturner, JohnR470@aol.com. In Jargon Watch 2.08, an AI gremlin made off with the list of contributors. Our belated tip o' the beanie is directed towards Peter Rothman, Dav0 Perry, and Pierre Bourque, who coined the term "Jargonaut" as part of an unofficial alt.wired newsgroup contest dreamed up by Carl Kadie.
